{Personal) The Gift of Time

October 10, 2013 By: Jasmine

Do you start shopping for your kids’ birthday gifts 6 months in advance? Check. Plan their party 5 months before their actual birthday? Check. Stock up on the best, most educational books? Check. Sign them up for all their favorite after-school activities? Of course.

Sounds all too familiar? I’m definitely raising my guilty hand high up here. Why guilty, you ask? Because when was the last time you truly gave your kids the gift of TIME? Did you put that darn phone down and REALLY truly give them your undivided attention? Especially when you really really really needed to check your email?

Our babies don’t need a mountain of toys, activities, movies, x-box games, ____ (insert what you will over here). They need our TIME. That is the best, most amazing gift we can give them. I’m not judging myself or the mamas that do all of the above. All I’m trying to do is insert many blobs of good, old-fashioned TIME ….to do nothing at all. To do just whatever they want to in that moment. Trying not to say ‘But wait, let me just finish one more thing…’….

My son Neil and myself during an impromptu road trip stop – laying on the grass, doing nothing at all. One of my favorite memories from our summer trip to Switzerland last year!

And you know what? I have seen my kids’ eyes light up more knowing that I can play with them uninterrupted, than when I get them a new toy. That toy means absolutely nothing if I don’t make the effort to actually play it with them.

So, join me on my little self-campaign of giving the gift of time. Over and over and over again. And if you need this pretty gold art print as a reminder (as I do!) head here!